Development of power inductors is underway in order to mount, for example, power semiconductors in a variety of instruments, and development of a magnetic material having magnetic characteristics such as high magnetic permeability and low magnetic losses in the kilohertz (kHz) range to the megahertz (MHz) range is expected. Furthermore, high saturation magnetization that can withstand a large electric current is expected. If the saturation magnetization is high, it is difficult to saturate magnetization even if a high magnetic field is applied, and an effective decrease in the inductance value can be suppressed. Thus, the direct current superposition characteristics of a device are enhanced, and the efficiency of the system is increased.
Furthermore, a radio wave absorber absorbs the noises generated from electronic instrument by utilizing high magnetic losses, and reduces defects such as malfunction of electronic instrument. Electronic instruments are used in various frequency bands, and high magnetic losses are required in a predetermined frequency band. In general, a magnetic material exhibits high magnetic losses near the ferromagnetic resonance frequency. For example, the ferromagnetic resonance frequency of a magnetic material having low magnetic losses in the MHz range is approximately in the gigahertz (GHz) range. Thus, a magnetic material for MHz-range power inductors is also applicable to, for example, radio wave absorbers that are used in the GHz range.
As such, if a magnetic material having high magnetic permeability and low magnetic losses in the kHz to MHz ranges can be developed, the magnetic material can also be used in devices such as power inductors, antenna apparatuses and radio wave absorbers for high frequency bands of the kHz range or higher.